Manifold for valve assembly

ABSTRACT

A valve assembly includes a valve with a bobbin/valve body, a solenoid and a plunger. The bobbin/valve body is formed in one piece, and defines all of the valve&#39;s inlet/outlet ports and forms the entire support structure for the solenoid and the plunger. The valve may be connected to a manifold by press-fitting port nipples of the valve into corresponding channels in the manifold. The manifold is formed of a resilient, elastomeric material, and the port nipples include radial projecting barbs, which enable the valve to be fluidly-connected to the manifold without additional O-ring seals or other mechanical sealing devices. Fittings with barbs can likewise be press-fit in other channels of the manifold to connect the valve assembly with fluid lines or other components in the fluid system. The fittings can also be provided unitary with the manifold, and/or adhesively attached to the manifold and/or to the fluid lines and other components.

RELATED CASES

This application is continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 09/564,529, filed May 4, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,409, thedisclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to a valve assembly, and moreparticularly to a manifold for a valve assembly which allows easyattachment of a valve or other component of the assembly to the manifoldwithout O-ring seals or other mechanical sealing devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A valve typically includes a plurality of ports through which fluid isselectively passed to accomplish a desired flow path. For example, athree-way valve may include common port, a normally open port, and anormally closed port. When the valve is in an inactivated state, fluidenters the valve through the common port and exits through the normallyopen port. When the valve is in an activated state, fluid enters thevalve through the common port and exits through the normally closedport.

A three-way valve may include a solenoid and a plunger that is used toshift the valve between its inactivated and activated states. Such asolenoid comprises components which generate and transmit a magneticfield. Specifically, a solenoid may include a solenoid coil whichgenerates a magnetic field upon application of an electrical current andthis magnetic field is transmitted to a pole piece. Terminal pins aretypically provided to selectively energize the solenoid coil and a fluxconductor is typically provided to concentrate magnetic flux in adesired manner.

A plunger commonly comprises a plunger body or armature which directsthe flow through the valve in response to theenergization/deenergization of the solenoid. A spring or other type ofbiasing assembly is typically provided to bias the plunger body towardsa position whereat it seals off the passageway to the normally closedport and not the normally open port. When the solenoid is energized, theplunger body is pulled towards the pole piece by the magnetic force(that overcomes the spring biasing force) to a position whereat it sealsoff the passageway to the normally open port and not the normally closedport.

A three-way solenoid valve commonly includes a bobbin and one or morevalve body pieces which together define the ports and which togetherprovide a support structure for the solenoid and the plunger. Thecoupling of the bobbin and the valve body piece(s) together requiresseparate assembly steps and/or special coupling components. Moreover,the unions between the bobbin and the valve body piece(s) introduceleakage issues sometimes requiring separate inspection tests duringassembly of the valve.

Three-way valves are used for a wide variety of industrial, medical, andother types of analytical systems. Different types of valve mountingarrangements are often required depending on the particular system. Forexample, some applications require a manifold mounted arrangement andother applications require a printed circuit board arrangement.Furthermore, different orientations of the valve ports are oftenrequired in different plumbing settings. Additionally or alternatively,it is often necessary (or at least desirable) to have a two dimensionalarray of valves mounted on the same manifold and/or printed circuitboard.

In many valve applications, dimensions are crucial and constant effortsare being made to reduce the size of valve assemblies. However, whilesize reduction is desirable, it often comes at the expense of morecomplicated assembly techniques and/or elevated manufacturing costs.Furthermore, the smallness of the bobbin and/or the valve body piece(s)tends to increase leakage issues during assembly due to, among otherthings, the tight tolerances involved. Additionally or alternatively,size reduction often results in the sacrifice of some desirablefeatures, such as adjustability of valve seat sealing characteristicsand/or electrical terminal options. Moreover, valve size reduction issometimes difficult to accomplish within reasonable economic ranges andthus such reduction is of little benefit in many cost-sensitive valvingsituations.

With manifold mounted arrangements, additional O-ring seals or othermechanical sealing devices (e.g., tube seals) can be required to providea fluid-tight seal between the valve and the manifold. These sealingdevices can add expense, require complicated and expensive manufacturingof the valve body to accommodate the seals, and/or increase the assemblycosts of the valve assembly. They can also increase the size of theassembly to accommodate such seals.

Accordingly, the inventors appreciated that a need remains for compactand versatile valve assemblies that may be made by simplified assemblytechniques and within reasonable economic ranges, without significantleakage issues.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention provides a valve assembly that may be manufacturedand assembled in a relatively simplified and economic manner.Additionally, the design of the valve assembly is such that leakageissues are minimized and the valve may be used for a wide variety ofindustrial, medical and/or analytical systems without requiringdifferent valve constructions. Further, a preferred form of the valveallows for adjustment of valve seat sealing characteristics (by changingthe biasing force on the spring) and/or is compatible with differentorientations of terminal pins. Still further, the valve can be easilyassembled with a manifold without additional O-ring seals or othermechanical sealing or attachment devices. The valve may be produced in avery compact size thereby making it suitable for applications requiringsmall scale valving apparatus. However, the valve design of the presentinvention has many features equally advantageous in larger scale valvingapparatus and thus the valve could be made in wide variety ofdimensions.

More particularly, the present invention provides a valve comprising abobbin/valve body, a solenoid, and a plunger. The bobbin/valve body isformed in one piece and defines a common port, a normally closed port, anormally open port, a longitudinal bore, and respective passagewaysbetween the longitudinal bore and the ports. The bobbin/valve bodyprovides the entire support structure for the solenoid and the plungerwhereby assembly and inspection steps associated with joining togetherseparate bobbin and valve body piece(s) are eliminated. For this samereason, leakage issues may be significantly reduced. Additionally, thepreferred bobbin/valve body may be made by economic mass manufacturingmethods thereby further reducing manufacturing costs. Furthermore, avalve construction wherein a one-piece bobbin/valve body defines atleast the normally open port (and not necessarily the common port or thenormally closed port) is believed to in and of itself reduce the size ofthe valve.

The bobbin/valve body preferably comprises an end portion defining thenormally open port, another end portion defining the common and normallyclosed ports, and a cylindrical central portion therebetween. The commonport, the normally closed port, and the normally open port arepreferably aligned with each other in the axial direction of thelongitudinal bore thereby making the valve compatible with a variety ofdifferent mounting arrangements. For example, the valve is especiallysuitable for manifold mounting, and to this end, radial projecting barbsare preferably provided on the port nipples to allow fluid-tightcoupling to channels in the manifold. The valve is also especiallysuitable for mounting on a printed circuit board and to this end theexterior walls of the bobbin/valve body preferably include slots,grooves, and/or recesses to accommodate appropriate mounting elements(e.g., mounting wires, screws, clips, etc.). The plunger includes aplunger body which moves within the longitudinal bore of thebobbin/valve body in response to the energization/ deenergization of thesolenoid. Specifically, the plunger body moves between a first positionwhereat the passageway to the normally closed port is sealed and thepassageway to the normally open port is open and a second positionwhereat the passageway to the normally closed port is open and thepassageway to the normally open port is sealed. In this manner, fluidflows through the common port to the normally open port when the plungerbody is in the first position and through the common port to thenormally closed port when the plunger body is in the second position.Preferably, the plunger body is moved to the second position uponenergization of the solenoid.

The solenoid preferably includes a pole piece positioned within thelongitudinal bore and the pole piece preferably defines a passagewayfrom the bobbin/valve body's passageway to the normally open port. Thispassageway extends through an opening in an axial end of the pole pieceand a valve seat surrounds this opening. Another valve seat (defined bythe bobbin/valve body) surrounds the passageway from the longitudinalbore to the normally closed port. The plunger body seals the body'svalve seat when in one of its first and second positions and seals thepole's valve seat when in the other position. Preferably, the plungerbody seals the body's valve seat when in its first position (when thesolenoid is deenergized) and seals the pole's valve seat when in itssecond position (when the solenoid is energized).

The plunger body and/or the bobbin/valve body preferably includeslongitudinal ribs that extend radially to define flow channels betweenthe plunger body and the bobbin/valve body. Preferably, the longitudinalbore of the bobbin/valve body includes a ribbed section including theribs and the passageway between the longitudinal bore and the commonport communicates with this ribbed section. The pole's passagewaypreferably includes a longitudinal passageway and a radial passageway.The longitudinal passageway extends from the valve seat to the radialpassageway and the radial passageway communicates with the bobbin/valvebody's passageway to the normally open port. Flow introduced through thecommon port passes through the relevant passageway to the longitudinalbore and into the rib-defined flow channel towards the pole's valveseat. When the solenoid is deenergized (or unenergized), and the plungerbody is in its first position, the pole's valve seat is open and thefluid flows through the pole's longitudinal and radial passageways tothe normally open port.

The passageway between the longitudinal bore and the normally closedport includes a cross-over passageway extending axially outward from thebody's valve seat and a passageway extending perpendicularly from thecross-over passageway to the normally closed port. When the solenoid isenergized, and the plunger body is in its second position, the pole'svalve seat is sealed and the body's valve seat is opened. Fluid thuspasses from the longitudinal bore through the passageways to thenormally closed port. Upon deenergization of the solenoid, the plungerbody is moved back to the first position whereby fluid flows through thepole passageways to the normally open port.

The plunger preferably includes a spring that biases the plunger bodytowards the normally closed valve seat (in the bobbin/valve body) and aspring retainer that holds the spring in the desired biasingrelationship. The spring is preferably a cylindrical spring thatcircumferentially surrounds the plunger body and the spring retainer ispreferably a ring-shaped member secured radially inward of the flowchannel-defining ribs. This arrangement of the spring relative to theplunger body allows a reduction in overall length of the valve whencompared to, for example, a valve design wherein a spring is positionedaxially in line with the plunger body. Also, this arrangement of thespring and spring retainer allows for adjustment of the valve seatsealing characteristics by adjusting the position of the spring retainerand thus the biasing force of the spring.

To assemble the valve according to the present invention, thebobbin/valve body is formed in one piece, preferably by an economic massmanufacturing process, such as injection molding. The plunger body isinserted through an end opening in the bobbin/valve body into thelongitudinal bore. The spring is situated around the plunger body andthe spring retainer is attached to the bobbin/valve body, preferably bypress-fitting, to hold the spring in the desired biasing position. Afterinsertion of the plunger components, the pole piece is inserted throughthe opening into the longitudinal bore and attached to the bobbin/valvebody. A solenoid coil is wound around the central cylindrical section ofthe bobbin/valve body and the terminal pins are attached to the body insuch a manner that they are in contact with the solenoid coil. A fluxconductor (preferably of a one-piece construction) is then attached tothe bobbin/valve body and the pole piece to complete the assembly of thevalve. Preferably, the attachment of the spring retainer, the polepiece, terminal pins and/or the flux conductor is accomplished by apress-fit coupling arrangement. Thus, no additional coupling components,materials and/or steps (e.g., welds, adhesives, etc.) are requiredthereby simplifying assembly techniques and reducing manufacturingcosts.

With particular reference to the terminal pins, the preferred attachmenttechnique includes inserting sections of the pins through openings inthe bobbin/valve body and placing end sections in contact with thesolenoid coil. The “non-inserted” sections of the pins may be bent intothe desired orientation. In this manner, different types of terminalpins may be incorporated into the valve and/or the same terminal pinsmay be trimmed or otherwise bent to accommodate different mountingarrangements.

It may be noted that one or more of the desired features of theinvention may be combined to create a valve of a desired construction.For example, a bobbin/valve body (one piece or otherwise) having a flatexterior mounting surface (except for the port nipples) is believed tobe advantageous in and of itself in view of its compatibility withdifferent manifold/board mounting arrangements. A valve constructionwherein the solenoid coil surrounds both the plunger body and the polepiece and/or a flux conductor which straddles an axial section of thebobbin/valve body including both the common port and the normally openport is beneficial in view of the potential for overall length-reductionof the valve. Furthermore, a valve incorporating the press-fitattachment of the terminal pins, and the ability to bend them toaccommodate different mounting arrangements, provides advantages with orwithout the other preferred features of the invention.

The manifold is also preferably formed in one piece, preferably by aneconomic mass manufacturing process, such as injection molding.Appropriate fittings are then press-fit into the channels in themanifold to allow easy attachment to fluid lines, to adjacent manifolds,and/or to diverters or other components. The fittings have radialprojecting barb(s) which provide a fluid-tight seal with the resilientmanifold and with the fluid lines, etc., without the need for additionalO-ring seals or other mechanical sealing devices. Alternatively, thefittings can be provided integral (unitary) with the manifold, in whichcase the barbs are located only to provide a fluid tight seal with thefluid lines or other external components. As a still furtheralternative, or in addition, the fittings can be adhesively connected tothe manifold, to the fluid lines, and/or to other components in thefluid system.

The manifold has a generally flat exterior mounting surface with inlet,outlet and common channels opening at the surface. The port nipples ofthe valve are press-fit in the respective channels. As indicated above,the port nipples have barbs which similarly provide a fluid-tight sealwith the resilient manifold without the need for additional O-ring sealsor other mechanical sealing devices. The barbs provide an interferencefit with the respective channels to retain the valve on the manifoldwithout additional hold-down mechanisms or fasteners.

Thus, the present invention provides a compact and versatile valveassembly that may be made by simplified assembly techniques and withinreasonable economic ranges, without significantly increasing leakageissues. These and other features of the invention are fully describedand particularly pointed out in the claims. The following descriptionand drawings set forth in detail a certain illustrative embodiment ofthe invention, these embodiments being indicative of but one of thevarious ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side and perspective view of a valve according to thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a bottom and perspective view of the valve.

FIG. 3 is side view of the valve with certain interior components beingshown in phantom.

FIG. 4 is a side view, partially in section, showing the valve installedon a manifold.

FIG. 5 is side view, partially in section, showing the valve installedon the manifold in another manner.

FIG. 6 is a side view, partially in section, showing the valve installedon another manifold.

FIG. 7 is enlarged sectional view of a portion of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the valve installed on a printed circuitboard in a ports-up orientation.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the valve installed on a printed circuitboard or panel in a ports-to-the-side orientation.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a plurality of valves according to thepresent invention installed in an array arrangement on a printed circuitboard or panel in a ports-up orientation.

FIG. 11 is a side and perspective view of a bobbin/valve body of thevalve.

FIG. 12 is sectional perspective view of the bobbin/valve body.

FIG. 13 is a top view of the bobbin/valve body.

FIG. 14 is a side view of the bobbin/valve body.

FIG. 15 is a bottom view of the bobbin/valve body.

FIG. 16 is an end view of the bobbin/valve body.

FIG. 17 is another end view of the bobbin/valve body.

FIG. 18 is a sectional view of the bobbin/valve body as seen from line18—18 in FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is a sectional view of the bobbin/valve body as seen from line19—19 in FIG. 17.

FIG. 20 is a sectional view of the bobbin/valve body as seen from line20—20 in FIG. 14.

FIG. 21 is a sectional view of the bobbin/valve body as seen from line21—21 in FIG. 14.

FIG. 22 is a sectional view of the bobbin/valve body as seen from line22—22 in FIG. 16.

FIG. 23 is a view similar to FIG. 22 but with terminal pins partiallyassembled within the bobbin/valve body.

FIG. 24 is a side perspective view of a component of the valve'ssolenoid, namely a flux conductor.

FIG. 25 is a top view of the flux conductor.

FIG. 26 is a side view of the flux conductor.

FIG. 27 is an end view of the flux conductor.

FIG. 28 is an opposite end view of the flux conductor.

FIG. 29 is a side view of another component of the valve's solenoid,namely a pole piece.

FIG. 30 is an end view of the pole piece.

FIG. 31 is a sectional view of the pole piece as taken along lines 31—31in FIG. 30.

FIG. 32 is a enlarged portion of the sectional view of FIG. 31.

FIG. 33 is another enlarged portion of the sectional view of FIG. 31.

FIG. 34 is perspective cross-sectional view of a component of theplunger, namely a plunger body without its elastomeric core.

FIG. 35 is a cross-sectional view of the plunger body with itselastomeric core.

FIG. 36 is a perspective side view of another component of the plungerdevice, namely a spring retainer.

FIG. 37 is an end view of the spring retainer.

FIG. 38 is a cross-sectional view of the spring retainer as taken alonglines 38—38 in FIG. 37.

FIG. 39 is an axial cross-sectional view of the valve in a deenergizedstate.

FIG. 40 is a radial cross-sectional view of the valve taken along line40—40 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 41 is a radial cross-sectional view of the valve taken along line41—41 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 42 is a radial cross-sectional view of the valve taken along line42—42 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 43 is an enlarged portion of FIG. 39.

FIG. 44 is another enlarged portion FIG. 39.

FIG. 45 is a side view, in partial cross-section, of one type of fittingfor the manifolds illustrated in FIGS. 4-7.

FIG. 46 is a side view, in partial cross-section, of another type offitting for the manifolds illustrated in FIGS. 4-7.

FIG. 47 is a side view, in partial cross-section, of a still furthertype of fitting for the manifolds illustrated in FIGS. 4-7.

FIG. 48 is an elevated perspective view, from one side, of another typeof manifold useful for the valve.

FIG. 49 is an elevated perspective view, from another side, of themanifold of FIG. 48.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and initially to FIGS. 1-3, avalve 100 according to the present invention is shown. The valve 100includes a bobbin/valve body 200, a solenoid 300 and a plunger 400. Thebobbin/valve body 200 defines a common port 202, a normally closed port204 and a normally open port 206. The ports 202, 204, 206 projectaxially outwardly from one side of the body, in the same direction,parallel to one another. The valve components are configured so thatwhen the solenoid 300 is deenergized, fluid enters the valve 100 throughthe common port 202 and exits through the normally open port 206. Whenthe solenoid 300 is energized, fluid enters the valve 100 through thecommon port 202 and exits through the normally closed port 204.

The construction of the valve 100 is such that it may be produced invery a compact size within a reasonable economic range. For example, aprototype has been developed which has an approximately 22.86 mm length,a 7.87 mm width, an 8.92 mm height (without port nipples) and a 1.78 mmport nipple length and weighs in at less than 0.10 ounces.Significantly, this size reduction does not come at the expense of morecomplicated assembly techniques, increased leakage problems and/or thesacrifice of desirable features. In fact, as is explained in more detailbelow, the valve 100 may be manufactured and/or assembled in arelatively simplified manner and its construction is such that leakageissues are minimized. Also, the preferred form of the valve 100 allowsfor the selective adjustment of valve seat sealing characteristicsand/or the accommodation of different types of electrical connections.

Moreover, the valve 100 may be used for a wide variety of industrial,medical and analytical systems and does not require different valveconstructions to accommodate these different mounting arrangements. Asillustrated in FIGS. 4-6, the valve 100 is particularly suited formounting on a resilient manifold 110 because of the axial alignment ofthe port nipples 202, 204, 206. Port nipples 202, 204, 206 each includeradial, outwardly projecting annular barbs 208 for use in sealing thevalve 100 to the manifold (see FIG. 7). Specifically, the barbs 208 makeit possible to mount the valve 100 with nose seals 112 (FIG. 4), tubeseals 114 (FIG. 5), or no seals (FIG. 6) with appropriate manifoldmaterial. With reference particularly to FIGS. 6 and 7, the port nipples202, 204, 206 can be press-fit into one end of channels 217, 218 and219, respectively, in the manifold, and fluidly-sealed therein withoutthe need for mechanical sealing devices. Channels 217, 218 and 219 allopen to the exterior, generally flat mounting surface 221 of themanifold.

The port nipples 202,204, 206 are made from a material such as plastic,generally harder than the manifold material, such that the barbs grasp,preferably with an interference fit, the inside surface of the channelsand retain the posts within the channels during operation of the valve.A fluid-tight seal is provided along essentially the entire nipplebecause of the resilient nature of the manifold. No additional hold-downmechanisms or fasteners are necessary to retain the valve on themanifold, which reduces the complexity of the manufacture and assemblyof the valve assembly. The valve can nevertheless be easily removed fromthe manifold, such as for inspection or replacement, merely by graspingthe valve and pulling the valve away from the manifold.

An appropriate manifold material is, for example, a compliant(resilient) elastomeric material such as polyurethane. An polyurethanesuitable for the manifold is available from Dow Plastics, under thetrade name/designation “Pellathane”, although of course, other suitableresilient materials could be used. The particular durometer (resiliency)of the manifold can be easily determined by one of ordinary skill in theart using simple experimentation.

Appropriate fittings, as at 440, can be press-fit into the other end ofchannels 217, 218 and 219, respectively, of the manifold. Referring alsoto FIGS. 45-47, fittings 440 preferably include an annular body 442having a central flow passage 444. The annular body 442 has a first end445 dimensioned to be closely received within a respective port 217-219of the manifold. A central annular flange 446 projects radially outwardfrom the body 442 to serve as a stop when the fitting is inserted intothe port. The fittings can have respective ends which are identical, forconnecting adjacent manifolds, diverters, fluid lines, etc., which havethe same dimensions as the manifolds (FIGS. 45, 46); or can have endswith different dimensions. FIG. 47 illustrates a tapered end 447 forreceipt of a smaller fluid line.

In any case, each end of the fitting includes one (FIGS. 45, 47) or more(FIG. 46) radial projecting annular barbs, as at 448. For fittingshaving multiple barbs on each end, the barbs on each end can projectradially outward different amounts, with the barbs closer to the centralflange 446 preferably projecting further outwardly than the barbs spacedaway from the annular flange. The barbs could also project outwardlydifferent amounts on each end of the fitting.

The dimensions and locations of the barbs can be easily determined bythose of ordinary skill in the art using simple experimentation, takinginto account the resiliency of the component to be connected to thefitting, and the anticipated pressures in the fitting during operationof the valve. While a sharp-edged barb is preferred, other geometries onthe fitting accomplishing the same result could be used rather than abarb.

The fittings 440 are made from a relatively hard material, such as brassor plastic, such that the barbs grasp the channels in the manifold,without additional mechanical sealing devices, such as O-rings or sealtubes. Again, a seal is provided along essentially the entire length ofthe fitting because of the resilient nature of the manifold. While it ispreferred that the fittings are closely (preferably press-fit) receivedin the respective manifold or component, with the barb(s) providing afluid-tight seal without the need for any additional mechanical seal, itis also anticipated that adhesive could be applied around the fitting tofacilitate the fluid-tight connection with the manifold and/or the othercomponents.

The manifold 110 can be easily fluidly connected with other manifolds.To this end, referring to FIGS. 48 and 49, connection channels 451-453can be provided which fluidly interconnect some or all of the channels217-218 in each manifold with an adjacent manifold, or with othermanifolds in the manifold array. One useful feature of using a materialsuch as polyurethane for the manifold is that it is relatively easy andinexpensive to form flow channels through the manifold. Some or all ofthe connection channels 451-453 can intersect the channels 217-219 inthe manifold, and can be located to interconnect with correspondingconnection channels in adjacent manifolds. For example, in theillustrated embodiment, connection channel 451 interconnects withchannel 217; connection channel 452 interconnects with channel 218; andconnection channel 453 interconnects with channel 219. It is alsopossible that one or more connection channels, such as connectionchannels 454, 455, can extend through the manifold for connection toadjacent manifolds or to external components, without intersectingchannels 217-219. Connection channel 455 is shown as extending from thefront end to the rear end of the manifold, while channel 454 is shownextending from side-to-side.

As also shown in FIGS. 48 and 49, the fittings 440 can alternatively beformed integrally, and preferably unitarily (in one piece) with themanifold 110. In this aspect, the fitting ends projecting out of themanifold can have one (or more) barbs as described above with respect toFIGS. 45-46 to enable fluid-tight connection with a fluid line or othercomponent. Alternatively, as illustrated, the projecting ends of thefittings 440 can be smooth, and permanently connected to the externalcomponent using, for example, adhesive. The adhesive-only connection canbe used to connect the fittings to the manifold as well.

The fittings 440 in FIG. 48 and 49 are shown with connection channels450 for interconnecting adjacent manifolds. One end of each connectionchannel 450 opens to one side of the manifold and include fittings 440(see e.g., FIG. 48); while the other end of each connection channelopens to the other side of the manifold and includes openingsdimensioned to receive fittings 440 (see, e.g., FIG. 49). Of course, thefittings and openings can be located on either side (and on any end),depending upon the particular application.

While the manifolds have been described above as being useful forconnection of a valve, it is possible that the manifold could be used ina fluid system without such a valve. Another component of the fluidsystem could be mounted on the manifold, if the component is to befluidly-connected within the system; or alternatively, the manifoldcould be a diverter and merely distribute fluid to one or more adjacentmanifolds.

Referring now to FIGS. 8-10, the valve 100 is also particularly suitedfor mounting on a printed circuit board or panel 150. Particularly, thevalve 100 may be mounted in a “ports-up” orientation as shown in FIG. 8and secured in position relative to the board by a C-shaped mountingwire 152. Alternatively, the valve 100 may be mounted in a“ports-to-the-side” orientation as shown in FIG. 9 and secured inposition by a cross-wire 154 with a termination connector 156.Additionally, a plurality of the valves 100 may be arranged in atwo-dimensional array on the board 150 as shown in FIG. 10 and securedin position by screws 160.

Referring now to FIGS. 11-22, the bobbin/valve body 200 is shownisolated from the other components of the valve 100. The bobbin/valvebody 200 is formed in one piece (preferably as a unitary molded part)and provides the entire support structure for the solenoid 300 and theplunger 400. Also, as was indicated above, the body 200 defines thecommon port 202, the normally closed port 204, and the normally openport 206. The one piece construction of the bobbin/valve body 200eliminates the assembly and inspection steps associated with joiningtogether separate bobbin and valve body piece(s). For this same reason,leakage issues may be significantly reduced when compared to, forexample, a valve design including separate bobbin and valve bodypiece(s). The bobbin/valve body 200 may be made by economic massmanufacturing methods, such a injection molding, thereby furtherreducing manufacturing costs. The bobbin/valve body 200 includes an endblock portion 210 defining the normally open port 206, an end blockportion 212 defining the common and normally closed ports 202 and 204,and a central cylindrical portion 214 therebetween.

The end portion 210 includes a top wall 210 a, side walls 210 b, abottom wall 210 c, and end walls 210 d and 210 e which together form aroughly rectangular prism shape. The normally open port nipple 206extends perpendicularly outwardly from the bottom wall 210 c (FIGS.14-17) whereby the end block portion 210 may be referred to as theone-port end portion of the bobbin/valve body 200. The end portion 210further includes a shelf 210 f extending outwardly from its bottom wall210 c and perpendicularly from its end wall 210 d. (FIGS. 13-17.) Theend block portion 212 has a top wall 212 a, a bottom wall 212 c, sidewalls 212 b, and end walls 212 d and 212 e (FIGS. 13-17) forming anessentially cubical shape except for its concavely curved outer comers(FIGS. 13 and 15). The central portion 214 extends centrally between theend walls 210 e and 212 e and includes an outer cylindrical wall 214 athat defines, in conjunction with the end walls 210 d and 212 d, anannular cavity 216 (see FIGS. 13-15).

The bottom walls 210 c and 212 c define a flat bottom surface of thebobbin/valve body 200, except for the port nipples extendingperpendicular therefrom (see FIGS. 14, 15 and 16). These bottom walls210 c and 212 c also define an outer surface of the finished valve 100(FIGS. 2 and 3) whereby the valve 100 includes a flat bottom surface.This construction makes this port-side surface of the valve 100 and thebobbin/valve body 200 suitable for flush mounting against a flushsurface, such as a manifold or PC board.

The top wall 210 a of the end portion 210 includes a trapezoidal (withrounded slanted sides) platform 220 and a linear platform 222 defining alinear groove 224 and a pair of semi-circular recesses 226 (see FIG.13). The side walls 222 each include a semi-cylindrical slot 228extending from the respective semi-circular recess 226 on the top wall210 a to a respective semi-circular recess 230 on the bottom wall 210 c.(FIGS. 13 and 14.) The end wall 210 d includes a centrally locatedopening 232 into the interior of the body 200 (FIG. 16). The other endwall 210 e (not shown in detail) forms the union between the portions210 and 214. The shelf 210 e includes a pair of rectangular slots 234extending from its top edge to its bottom edge (FIGS. 13 and 15), awindow 236 extending between the slots 234 (FIG. 16), and rectangularrecesses 237 formed on the top surface of its outer comers (FIGS. 13, 14and 15).

The top wall 212 a of the end portion 212 includes a rectangular window238 surrounded by a C-shaped ledge 240 and a square dish 242 (see FIG.13). The bottom wall 212 b includes a trapezoidal (with rounded comers)pedestal 248 surrounding the common port 202 and a rectangular pedestal250 surrounding the normally closed port 204 which form a linear path252 and semi-circular recesses 254 (see FIG. 15). The side walls 212 ceach include a square window 244 and a semi-cylindrical slot 246 (seeFIG. 14). The end wall 212 d includes a circular bump 256 and the endwall 212 e essentially forms a union between the portions 212 and 214(see FIG. 17).

The exterior profile of the bobbin/valve body 200 is adapted toaccommodate the different mounting arrangements of the valve 100. Thesemi-cylindrical slots 228 and 246 on the side walls 210 b and 212 cform a channel for the C-shaped mounting wire 152 when the valve 100 ismounted port-side-up on a PC board or panel as is shown in FIG. 8. Thelinear groove 224 on the top wall 210 a and the linear groove 252 on thebottom wall 212 c cradle the cross-wire 154 when the valve 100 is sidemounted to a PC board as is shown in FIG. 9. When valve assemblies 100are placed side-by-side as shown in FIG. 10, the adjacent slots 228 and246 form cylindrical receptacles for the shafts of the screws 156 andthe adjacent recesses 230 and 254 form circular rests for the screwheads. Also, adjacent shelf recesses 237 form a mounting flange forclips (not shown) used to secure the valve assemblies 100 to the board.

As is explained in more detail below, the exterior profile of the body200 is also adapted to accommodate the manufacturing and/or assembly ofthe valve 100. However, it may be noted that the square dish 242 and thecircular bump 256 are included to accommodate the molding process of thebobbin/valve body 200 and do not play a functional role in the finishedvalve 100. That being said, the square dish 242 does provide aconvenient location for placement of a manufacturer's identificationand/or a valve classification.

The interior of the bobbin/valve body 200 is best explained by referringto FIGS. 18-22. As shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, the portions 210, 212 and214 include interiors walls that together define an interiorlongitudinal bore 260 extending from the opening 232 in the end portion210, coaxially through the cylindrical portion 214, and into (but notthrough) the end portion 212 (see FIGS. 18 and 19). The bore 260 may beviewed as including a series of longitudinal sections, namely a widenedsection 262, an unribbed section 264, and a ribbed section 266.

The widened section 262 extends inwardly from the opening 232 in the endwall 210 a of the end portion 210. The unribbed section 264 extends fromthe outlet section 262 through the cylindrical central portion 214 anddefines a generally smooth or unribbed surface (see FIG. 20). The ribbedsection 266 extends from the unribbed section 264 to the bore's axialend and includes a series of radial ribs 268 (five in the illustratedembodiment) (see FIG. 21).

The portions 210 and 212 include other interior walls that define fluidpassageways. Specifically, the end block portion 210 defines a normallyopen passageway 276 radially extending from the widened outlet boresection 262 to the normally open port 206 (see FIG. 18). The end blockportion 212 defines a common passageway 278 extending radially betweenthe common port 202 and the ribbed plunger section 266, a cross-overpassageway 280 extending axially from the end of the plunger section266, and a normally closed passageway 282 extending radially between theend of the cross-over passageway 280 and the normally closed port 204(see FIGS. 18 and 21). A valve seat 284 is defined by the two-port endportion 212 at the axial end of the bore, this valve seat 284surrounding the inlet to the cross-over passageway 280 (see FIGS. 18 and19).

The one-port end portion 210 further defines capture receptacles forcomponents of the solenoid 300 (namely terminal pins 306, introducedbelow). Specifically, interior walls within the shelf 210 f define acavity 286 extending inward from the shelf's window 236 and ledges 288and 290 positioned within the cavity 286 (see FIG. 22). The ledges 288are respectively positioned laterally outward from the slots 234 and theledge 290 is positioned between the slots 234 (see FIG. 20). The endportion 210 further defines a pair of post inlet channels 292 andcapture channels 294 (see FIGS. 19 and 22). The inlet channels 292extend axially inward from the cavity 286 on either side of the normallyopen port 206 and the capture channels 294 extend axially inward andthrough openings 296 in the end wall 210 e. The end wall 210 e furtherincludes grooves 298 extending laterally outward from the openings 294(see FIG. 20).

The solenoid 300 includes a coil 302, terminal pins 304, a fluxconductor 306, and a pole piece 308. The terminal pins 304 areillustrated in detail in FIG. 23 as they are being assembled to thebobbin/valve body 200. As shown, each of the pins 304 includes a postsection 310, a stepped section 312, a ridged section 314 and a contactsection 316. In the stage of assembly shown, the top post sections 310extend outwardly from the window 286 of the body 200 prior to be bentinto the desired orientation. The stepped sections 312 rest between theledges 288 and 290 and extends into the inlet channels 292. The ridgedsections 314 are captured within the channels 294 and the contactsections 316 extend through the openings 296 in the end wall 210 e.

The contact sections 316 are perpendicularly bent into the grooves 298to secure the terminal pins 304 to the bobbin/valve body 200 and toplace the sections 316 in a contacting position with the solenoid coil302 (see FIG. 3). The post sections 310 may be perpendicularly bent intoan upstanding orientation such as is shown in FIGS. 1-3. Alternatively,the post sections 310 may be trimmed and/or otherwise bent toaccommodate particular mounting arrangements. To this end, the postsections 310 preferably include a neck 318 (see FIG. 3) which may beused during this bending and breaking.

Once the terminal pins 304 have been fully assembled in the desiredmanner relative to the bobbin/valve body 200, it may be noted thatwindows or openings are created within the slots 234. Electrical posts(not shown) may be inserted through these openings to be in electricalcontact with the terminal pins 304. This type of arrangement would bevery advantageous for a “ports-down” a PC board mounting arrangementwherein the electrical posts could double both as the mountingcomponents and as part of the electrical circuitry.

The flux conductor 306 is illustrated in detail in FIGS. 24-28 and, asshown, has a single piece or unitary construction with a roughlysideways C-shape (see FIG. 26). The conductor 306 comprises a topsection 320, an end section 322, and another end section 324 (see FIGS.24, 25 and 26). The top section 320 is approximately rectangular inshape except for concavely curved corners 326 and stepped comers 328(see FIG. 25). The end section 322 is in the shape of a bridge having asubstantially semicircular opening 330 and steps or ridges 332 on itsouter side surface (see FIGS. 24, 26 and 27). The end section 324 isalso in the shape of a bridge having a substantially semicircularopening 334 (see FIG. 28).

The pole piece 308 is illustrated in detail in FIGS. 29-33 and, asshown, comprises a generally cylindrical member having axial ends 350and 352 (see FIGS. 29-31). The axial end 350 has flat profile and theother axial end 352 has a conical profile (see FIGS. 29 and 31). Thepole piece 308 includes two annular flanges 354 and 356 which may beviewed as forming longitudinal surface sections 358, 360 and 362. Theannular flange 354 includes an inclined annular tab 364 and the annularflange 356 includes an annular tab 366 (see FIGS. 31-33). A radialpassageway 368 extends transversely through the longitudinal section 358and a longitudinal passageway 370 extends axially from the center of thepassageway 368 to the pole's axial end 352 (see FIGS. 29 and 31). Avalve seat 372 is formed about the end of the passageway 370 on the end352 (see FIG. 29).

The plunger 400 includes a plunger body 402, a spring retainer 404 and abiasing spring 406. The plunger body 402 is illustrated in detail inFIGS. 34 and 35 and, as shown, comprises a generally cylindrical member408 and an elastomeric core 410. The cylindrical member 408 has axialends 412 and 414 and a stepped outer surface forming longitudinalsections 416 and 418 (see FIG. 34). The axial end 412 has a flat contourand the axial end 414 has an inwardly funneled contour. The member 408includes a hollow roughly barbell-shaped core 420 extending between itsaxial ends 412 and 414.

The profile of the hollow core 420 adjacent the end 412 is a steppedprofile and the profile of the core 416 adjacent the end 414 is ahalf-octagonal profile, in section (see FIG. 34). The elastomeric core410 is positioned within the core 420 of the cylindrical member 408 andthus has a complimentary contour. Specifically, one axial end 422 has astepped profile and the other axial end 424 has a half-octagonalprofile, in section (see FIG. 35). It may be noted that the illustratedoverall barbell-shape of the elastomeric core 410, and/or the shape ofits axial ends 422 and 424, are preferred for the purposes ofmanufacturing. From a functional point of view, any sealing suitablesurface (such as rubber disks) on the axial ends of the plunger body 408would be sufficient.

The spring retainer 404 is illustrated in detail in FIGS. 36-38 and, asshown, comprises a ring-shaped member 430 having a beaded rib 432projecting radially from its outer surface.

Cross-sectional views of the assembled valve 100 in a deenergized stateare shown in FIGS. 39-42. In the assembled valve 100, the coil 302 iswound around the central cylindrical portion 214 of the bobbin/valvebody 200 within the annular cavity 216 (see FIGS. 39 and 40, cavity 216shown and numbered in FIGS. 13-15). The terminal pins 304 extendperpendicularly upward from the shelf 210 f and their contact sections316 are in electrical contact with the ends of the solenoid coil 302(see FIG. 39, contact sections 316 shown and numbered in FIG. 23).

The flux conductor 306 straddles the central cylindrical portion 214 andthe end portion 210 of the bobbin/valve body 200 thereby straddlingsections of the bobbin/valve body 200 containing the common port 202 andthe normally open port 206. Specifically, the flux conductor's endsection 320 is positioned within the cavity connecting the toprectangular window 238 and the side square windows 244 of the end blocksection 210 and its bridge opening 330 is swage-coupled onto interiorwalls defining the body's longitudinal bore 260 (see FIG. 39, cavityshown in FIG. 12, windows shown/numbered in FIGS. 13 and 14, bridgeopening shown and numbered in FIG. 27). The flux conductor's top section322 extends over the top of the coil 302 and over the top wall of theend block portion 210 (see FIGS. 39-42). The flux conductor's endsection 322 extends over the end wall of the block portion 210 and itsbridge opening 334 is swage-coupled to the axial end 350 of the polepiece 308 (see FIG. 39, bridge opening shown and numbered in FIG. 28).

The pole piece 308 is positioned within the longitudinal bore 260 of thebobbin/valve body 200 (see FIG. 39). The pole's axial end 350 and itslongitudinal section 358 extends through the opening 232 in the end wallof the block end portion 210 (see FIG. 39, pole end and sectionshown/numbered in FIGS. 29-31, block end opening shown/numbered in FIG.16.) The annular flange 354 and the longitudinal section 360 arepositioned within the bore's widened outlet section 262, with the radialpassageway 368 communicated with the normally open passageway 276 (seeFIG. 39, pole's flange and sections shown/numbered in FIGS. 29 and 31).The widened section 262 of the bore 260 and the flanges 354 and 356 forman annular passageway between the pole's radial passageway 268 and thenormally open passageway 276 (see FIG. 39, bore section numbered inFIGS. 18 and 19, pole flanges 354 and 356 numbered in FIGS. 29 and 31).

The pole's annular flange 356, its longitudinal section 362 and itsaxial end 352 are positioned within the bore's unribbed section 364 (seeFIG. 39, pole's flange, section and end shown/numbered in FIGS. 29 and31). The pole's annular tabs 364 and 366 mate with interior wallsdefining the bore 260 of the bobbin/valve body 200 in press-fit fashion(see FIGS. 43 and 44). The sealing between the bobbin/valve body 200 andthe pole's flanges 354 and 356 and its longitudinal section 362 is suchthat fluid is prevented from leaking around the pole piece 308. In thismanner, a fluid-tight seal is created between the bobbin/valve body 200and the pole piece 308 without the need for additional couplingelements, such as welds, adhesives, sealing rings, etc.

The plunger body 402 is positioned within the longitudinal bore 260 ofthe bobbin/valve body 200 (see FIGS. 39-42). More particularly, theplunger body 402 is positioned primarily within the bore's ribbedsection 266 with its funneled axial end 414 positioned within theunribbed section 264 (see FIGS. 39-42, bore's sections numbered in FIGS.18 and 19, plunger's axial end numbered in FIG. 29 and 31). In theillustrated deenergized state of the valve 100, the spring 406 biasesthe plunger's flat axial end 350 is positioned adjacent the valve seat284 with the axial end 424 of the elastomeric core 410 being seatedthere against (see FIG. 39). The plunger's funneled axial end 414 ispositioned in a complimentary but spaced arrangement with the pole'sconical axial end 352 (see FIG. 39, plunger's axial end numbered inFIGS. 34 and 35, pole's axial end numbered in FIGS. 29 and 31).

The plunger's widened section 408 is movably positioned within the ribs268 of the bobbin/valve body's bore 260 (see FIG. 41 and 42, plungersection numbered in FIGS. 34 and 35, ribs 268 also numbered in FIGS. 18and 19). The spring retainer 404 is fixedly (but adjustably) positionedat the end of the ribbed section 266 and the retainer's beaded rib tab432 is mated with the groove in the bore in a press-fit fashion (seeFIG. 41, ribbed section numbered in FIGS. 18 and 19, retainer tabnumbered in FIGS. 36-38). The spring 406 is a cylindrical spring coilingaround the plunger body 402 and more particularly within an annularchamber defined by the ribs 268, the plunger's widened section 408, andthe spring retainer 404 (see FIG. 39, 41 and 42, ribs numbered in FIGS.18 and 19, plunger section numbered in FIGS. 29-31). This wrappedarrangement of the spring 406 relative to the plunger body 402contributes to a reduction in overall axial length of the valve 100 whencompared to, for example, a valve design wherein a spring is positionedaxially adjacent a plunger body.

In the illustrated deenergized state of the valve assembly 100, thespring 406 biases the plunger body 402 towards the cross-over passageway280 so that, as was indicated above, the axial end 422 of theelastomeric core 410 is seated against the valve seat 284 (see FIG. 39).This seating seals the cross-over passageway 280 and thus the normallyclosed passageway 282. During operation of the valve 100 in thedeenergized state, fluid flows through the common port/passageway202/278 and through the annular flow passages between the ribs 268towards the pole piece 308. It may be noted that, although the ribs 268are integral with the bobbin/valve body 200 in the illustratedembodiment, similar annular flow passages could instead be created by aribbed or fluted plunger body 402.

Because of the spaced arrangement between the pole piece 308 and theplunger body 402, the fluid then flows into the funneled opening in theplunger body 402, through the pole piece's longitudinal passageway 370to the pole piece's radial passageway 368, through the annularpassageway (defined by the bore's widened section 262 and the polepiece's flanges 354 and 356) and out through the normally openpassageway/port 276/206.

To energize the valve 100, electrical current is applied to theterminals to generate a magnetic field in the coil 302. The fluxconductor 306 concentrates the magnetic field in a desired manner andthe field is transmitted to the pole piece 308. The magnetic force ofthe pole piece 308 overcomes the biasing force of the spring 406 and theplunger body 402 is moved towards the pole piece 308. This movement ofthe plunger body 402 results in the axial end 422 of the elastomericcore 410 being moved away from the valve seat 284 and the insert's axialend 424 being seated against the pole piece's valve seat 372. In thismanner, the longitudinal passageway 370 of the pole piece 308 is sealedthereby blocking the flow passageways to the normally openpassageway/port 276/206. During operation of the valve 100 in theenergized state, fluid flows through the common port/passageway 202/278and through the annular flow passages between the ribs 268 towards thepole piece 308, but is blocked from entering the pole piece 308. Fluidinstead flows through now unblocked cross-over passageway 280 to thenormally closed passageway/port 282/204.

To assemble the valve 100, the plunger body 402 is first inserted intothe longitudinal bore 260 of the bobbin/valve body 200 through the endopening 232 in the end block portion 210. The spring 406 may bepositioned around the plunger body 402 during this insertion or laterinserted into the bore 260 and around the plunger body 402. The springretainer 404 is then inserted into the bore 260 and into a fixedposition by the press-fit mating of its bead 432 with the flow ribs.

It may be noted that the biasing force placed on the plunger body 402may be selectively adjusted by varying the depth of the retainer 404relative to the bobbin/valve body 200. Alternatively, the axial lengthof the spring retainer 404 may be varied to adjust the biasing force.Another option contemplated by the present invention is a springretainer that is permanently fixed to the bobbin/valve body 200.Moreover, a “retainerless” design may instead be used wherein the spring406 is captured within pockets in the plunger body 402. It may be noted,however, that the latter two options may limit spring adjustabilityoptions.

The pole piece 308 is next inserted through the end opening 232 into thelongitudinal bore 260 and press-fit into position by the press-fitmating of the barbed ribs 354 and 356 (see FIGS. 43 and 44).Significantly, this assembly of the pole piece 308 requires noadditional coupling components thereby simplifying manufacturingtechniques and/or reducing cost considerations.

Before or after the insertion of the pole piece 308 and the plungercomponents 402, 404 and 406, the coil 302 is wound about the centralcylindrical section 214 of the bobbin/valve body 200 and the terminalpins 306 are secured to the body 200 in the manner described aboveduring the discussion of FIG. 23. As was explained above, thebobbin/valve body 200 is compatible with a variety of different terminalarrangements thereby decreasing manufacturing efforts and/or expenses byway of reduced inventory requirements.

After the coil 302 has been assembled, the flux conductor 304 is coupledto the bobbin/valve body 200. Specifically, the conductor's end section320 is inserted through the top rectangular window 238 and into thecavity between this window and the side square windows 244. The bridgeopening 330 fits over the curved interior walls of the end block portion212 defining the body's longitudinal bore 260 and a suitable swage toolmay be inserted through the side windows 244 to interact with the ridges322 to lock the conductor 304 in position (see FIG. 39, cavity shown inFIG. 12, windows shown and numbered in FIGS. 13 and 14, bridge openingshown/numbered in FIG. 27). The flux conductor's other end section 322,and particularly its bridge opening 334 is swaged over the pole piece'saxial end 350 thereby coupling the flux conductor 304 to thebobbin/valve body 200 (see FIG. 39, bridge opening shown/number in FIG.28). It may noted that the preferred one piece construction of the fluxconductor 304 makes it suitable for extremely economic manufacturingtechniques, such as stamping. Moreover, by swage-coupling of the fluxconductor 304 to the bobbin/valve body 200 and/or the pole piece 350allows assembly without the need for additional coupling steps orcomponents, such as welding.

One may now appreciate that the valve 100 that may be manufacturedand/or assembled in a relatively simplified manner, within reasonableeconomic ranges, and with a minimization of leakage issues. Moreover,the valve 100 may be used for a wide variety of industrial, medicaland/or analytical systems and does not require different valveconstructions to accommodate these different mounting arrangements.While the valve 100 may be produced in a very compact size, it has manyfeatures that would be equally advantageous in large valve sizes.Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to acertain preferred embodiment, it is obvious that equivalent and obviousalterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the artupon the reading and understanding of this specification.

What is claimed is:
 1. A valve assembly, comprising: a valve having i) abobbin/valve body defining a common port, a normally closed port, and anormally open port, port nipples projecting outwardly away from one sideof the body in parallel relation to one another, a longitudinal borewithin the body, and respective passageways between the longitudinalbore and the three ports; ii) a selectively energizeable solenoid toproduce a magnetic field; and iii) a plunger including a plunger bodywhich moves within the bore in response to energization/deenergizationof the solenoid between a first position whereat the passageway to thenormally closed port is sealed from the longitudinal bore and thepassageway to the normally open port communicates with the longitudinalbore, and a second position whereat the passageway to the normallyclosed port communicates with the longitudinal bore and the passagewayto the normally open port is sealed from the longitudinal bore; and amanifold including channels aligned with the port nipples such that eachport nipple is received within a respective channel, the manifold formedof a resilient material and the channels dimensioned such that the portnipples are press-fit in the respective channels and provide afluid-tight seal, without the need for mechanical seal devices.
 2. Thevalve assembly as in claim 1, wherein the bobbin/valve body is locatedadjacent the manifold, without any O-ring seals between the port nipplesand the manifold.
 3. The valve assembly as in claim 2, wherein each portnipple includes an annular radial barb projecting outwardly, away fromthe port nipple, the radial barb providing an interference fit withinthe respective channel.
 4. The valve assembly as in claim 3, wherein themanifold is formed from an elastomeric material.
 5. The valve assemblyas in claim 4, wherein the manifold is molded from polyurethane.
 6. Thevalve assembly as in claim 1, wherein each port nipple includes anannular radial barb projecting outwardly, away from the port nipple, theradial barb providing an interference fit within the respective channel.7. The valve assembly as in claim 1, wherein the manifold includes agenerally flat mounting surface and the channels open to the mountingsurface.
 8. The valve assembly as in claim 1, wherein the channels eachhave one end opening to the mounting surface.
 9. The valve assembly asin claim 8, wherein the manifold is molded from a polyurethane.
 10. Thevalve assembly as in claim 8, wherein the mounting surface is on one endof the manifold, and the manifold includes connecting passages throughside surfaces of the manifold for fluidly interconnecting adjacentmanifolds, and connection means for connecting adjacent manifolds. 11.The valve assembly as in claim 8, wherein the connection means includesfittings received with a press-fit in the connection channels.
 12. Thevalve assembly as in claim 11, wherein the fittings each include atleast one annular radial barb projecting outwardly away from thefitting.
 13. The valve assembly as in claim 8, wherein the connectionmeans includes fittings formed unitary with the manifold.
 14. The valveassembly as in claim 13, wherein the fittings include at least oneannular radial barb projecting outwardly away from the fitting.
 15. Thevalve assembly as in claim 8, wherein the channels have another end opento a surface on the manifold other than the mounting surface, andfurther including connection means for connecting the manifold withother components.
 16. The valve assembly as in claim 15, wherein theconnection means includes fittings received with a press-fit in theother end of the channels.
 17. The valve assembly as in claim 16,wherein the fittings each include at least one annular radial barbprojecting outwardly away from the fitting.
 18. A valve assembly,comprising: a valve having i) a bobbin/valve body defining a pluralityof port nipples projecting outwardly away from one side of the body inparallel relation to one another, a longitudinal bore within the body,and respective passageways between the longitudinal bore and the ports;ii) a selectively energizeable solenoid to produce a magnetic field; andiii) a plunger including a plunger body which moves within the bore inresponse to energization/deenergization of the solenoid betweenpositions which open and close flow paths between the ports and thelongitudinal bore, and a manifold formed of a resilient elastomericmaterial and including channels for receipt of a respective port nipplefrom the valve assembly, the manifold having a generally flat mountingsurface, the channels each having an end opening to the mountingsurface.
 19. The valve assembly as in claim 18, wherein the manifold ismolded from a polyurethane, and the channels are dimensioned such thatthe nipples are press-fit in their respective channels and provide afluid-tight seal without the need for mechanical seal devices.
 20. Thevalve assembly as in claim 18, wherein the mounting surface is on oneend of the manifold, and the manifold includes connecting passagesthrough side surfaces of the manifold for fluidly interconnectingadjacent modules, and connection means for connecting adjacentmanifolds.
 21. The valve assembly as in claim 20, wherein the connectionmeans includes fittings received with a press-fit in the connectingpassages.
 22. The valve assembly as in claim 21, wherein the fittingseach include at least one annular radial barb projecting outwardly awayfrom the fitting.
 23. The valve assembly as in claim 20, wherein theconnection means includes fittings formed unitary with the manifold. 24.The valve assembly as in claim 23, wherein the fittings include at leastone annular radial barb projecting outwardly away from the fitting. 25.The valve assembly as in claim 18, wherein the channels have another endopen to a surface on the manifold other than the mounting surface, andfurther including connection means for connecting the manifold withother components.
 26. The valve assembly as in claim 25, wherein theconnection means includes fittings received with a press-fit in theother end of the channels.
 27. The valve assembly as in claim 21,wherein the fittings each include at least one annular radial barbprojecting outwardly away from the fitting.